Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Institute of African Research and Studies - Department of Natural Resources

El-Farafra Oasis in one of the main five Oases of the western Desert with an excellent ground water potentialities and potential soils for agricultural expansion; thus, considered promising for future agriculture the rest are not suitable for irrigation. the landscape and associated landforms. The major landforms of EL-farafra oasis could be grouped and described as. Chalky plain, peni plain, sand sheets, wadi El-Obiyid and playa. the obtained results could be summarized in the following. Available nitrogen El-Farafra Oasis varied from 5.6 to 75.6 mg/kg), Available phosphorus varied from0.07 to 29.22 Available potassium ranged from 30.75 to 84.34 mg total Fe varied from1.55 to4.59mg/ kg Available Mn ranges between 0.54 and11.85 Available zn varied from 1.1 1 to 1.99 Available cu varied from 0.10 to 0.48 Mineralogy of the clay fraction reveal that kaolinite are alternatively dominated in the studied geomorphic units followed by smectite (montmorillonite). Illite, interstratified minerals and chlorite are the lowest abundant clay minerals in these soils.The light fraction is composed almost entirely of quartZ which constitutes more than 95%. Other associated minerals are orthoclase, plagioclase and microcline (feldspars). opaque minerals are the most common minerals. The non opaques are mainly dominated by pyroboles (pyroxenes and amphiboles) followed by attractable minerals (zircon, rutile and tourmaline) Para metamorphic minerals (garnet, kyanite, staurolite, sillimanite) and epidote, while the rest of minerals are detected in less pronounced amounts

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